The All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State have locked horns over the arrest of the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Moses Sule, and 14 others, all PDP members, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly laundering N2.5 billion and abusing public office.

According to a statement by the EFCC, the former lawmakers, who only spent six months in office before they were sacked by the Election Petition Tribunal, were given luxury vehicles by the state government in their official capacities to the tune of N2.5 billion.

However, upon leaving office, they did not return the vehicles to the state government. The 14 members include Gwottson Fom, Sani Abubakar, Jwe Philip Gwom, Thomas Dantong, Happiness Akawu, Cornelius Dotyok and Agbalak Ibrahim.

Others are Danjuma Azi, Fwangje Ndat, Salome Wanglet, Namba Rimuyat, Nimchak Rims, Ishaku Maren and Paul Datugun.

PDP, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Jonathan Amande, claimed that the arrest was orchestrated by APC leaders in the state to score cheap political points, and to intimidate members of the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.

The statement reads: “As a party, we condemn, in the strongest terms, the parading of our members like common thieves, an action we consider purely politically-motivated and aimed at undermining the PDP administration and the party’s influence in the state.

“This use of the EFCC as a political witch-hunt designed to stifle dissent and suppress opposition voices in the country will do more harm than good, especially since the PDP administration has focused on moving Plateau forward rather than hunting the last APC administration in the state, despite the numerous messes discovered under their eight years of tenure.”

However, the state APC, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Shittu Bamaiyi, described the PDP’s statement as a scapegrace attempt to malign and smear the valued and respected images of APC leaders for no fault of theirs.

APC pointed out that the PDP could not back its accusations with any compelling fact to justify such vilification, adding that what the PDP ought to have done in such a situation was to debunk the allegations and put the records straight, rather than embarking on shadow-chasing and the politicisation of the issues at stake.

He, therefore, told the PDP not to scapegoat APC leaders for the misfortune that had befallen it, since all public office holders remain accountable to the people, irrespective of political inclination.